2006 Equinox LT Lacks Power Engine Flutter noise

[Vulxr]

Hello all,

I have a 2006 Equinox LT with 221000kms on it, and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to what this could be, some background info first, this vehicle has a bad supercharger like whine to it, and I looked into it and it is the A/C compressor or it’s clutch, but from what I know that is not causing a bad lack of power or it wasn’t before and it just got worse after replacing the heater core by coincidence. I’m making this for an issue that started after getting the heater core replaced, I noticed a flutter noise (it sounds like air pulsating/escaping or a bad pulley?) this only happens when I hit the throttle or the engine is under any type of load, this only happens in drive, for example it feels as if the brake pedal is being pressed but only when accelerating (no significant deceleration occurs when the car is coasting the brakes aren’t binding) if that makes any sense it does not occur in neutral/park, it has had its water pump replaced, its transmission fluid changed, heater core replaced, as well its coolant changed.

Edit: There are also no engine trouble codes, no pending codes, and no abs codes.

Edit #2: The closest thing I could describe the noise to is a cicada flutter type of noise. Could be some sort of bearing

Any suggestions as to what this could be/what to check would be appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[Revvingchevy]

I was having some flutter under load like on steep hills. No odd noises. It went completely away when I got the sparkplug replaced. It just felt like misfires actually I thought it was a transmission issue that only revealed itself on steep hills. Are your plugs new?

 

[Vulxr]

I was having some flutter under load like on steep hills. No odd noises. It went completely away when I got the sparkplug replaced. It just felt like misfires actually I thought it was a transmission issue that only revealed itself on steep hills. Are your plugs new?

Hi thanks for your response, my plugs are brand new and actually recently I noticed a slight tick coming from under the hood while it was running and I pinpointed the sound to be coming from cylinder #2’s ignition coil, the ticking would stop each time I would put my finger on the ignition coil and I would be able to feel the tick? If that makes any sense, and it also wasn’t loose or anything so I’ll check my spark plugs incase they’re incorrectly installed or something but that could be it? But the thing is it started doing the flutter after the heater core job and then I thought the flutter was the plugs so I changed them but it didn’t go away.

Also I noted a leak of either coolant or transmission fluid on the bottom of the car right below the main drive belt pulley. Don’t know if that has something to do with it.

 

[Revvingchevy]

I just asked my Chatgpt and it came back with this: (when I saw MAF I thought possibly MAF, have experienced this on another vehicle where it shuddered under load like when pulling out to pass)

Experiencing mild power fluctuation or flutter when the engine is under load could be caused by several issues. Here are some common potential causes:

1. Fuel System Issues:
   • Clogged Fuel Filter: A partially clogged fuel filter can restrict fuel flow, causing the engine to hesitate or flutter under load.
   • Failing Fuel Pump: A weak or failing fuel pump may not supply adequate fuel pressure, leading to power fluctuations when the engine demands more fuel.
2. Ignition System Problems:
   • Worn Spark Plugs: Spark plugs that are worn out or fouled can cause misfires and hesitation during acceleration.
   • Faulty Ignition Coils: A failing ignition coil can result in weak or inconsistent spark, affecting engine performance under load.
3. Air Intake Issues:
   • Dirty Air Filter: A clogged air filter can restrict airflow to the engine, causing poor performance when accelerating.
   • Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor: A dirty or faulty MAF sensor can provide incorrect data to the engine control unit (ECU), resulting in improper fuel-air mixture.
4. Throttle Body Problems:
   • Dirty Throttle Body: A dirty or malfunctioning throttle body can affect the airflow and cause the engine to hesitate under load.
5. Exhaust System Blockages:
   • Catalytic Converter Issues: A partially clogged catalytic converter can restrict exhaust flow, leading to power loss when accelerating.
6. Transmission Problems:
   • Torque Converter Issues: Problems with the torque converter can cause the sensation of power loss or flutter when accelerating.
   • Transmission Fluid: Low or degraded transmission fluid can affect transmission performance, causing hesitation or slipping.

 

[Vulxr]

Hmm, those don’t sound good, I’ll definitely check the ignition coils and make sure the spark plugs are in correctly, ill post an update on what I find, I did change my transmission fluid didn’t notice any metal flakes, transmission is fine, throttle body and fuel filter both seem like the logical things to check. I really appreciate your help throughout this as I couldn’t find much on the issue.